Balancing means for rotatable cylinders



March 14, 1961 c. BERNSTEIN 2,974,801

BALANCING MEANS FOR ROTATABLE CYLINDERS Filed June 25, 1957 INVETOR.

United States Patent O BALANCING MEANS FOR ROTATABLE CYLINDERS Charles Bernstein, 20 93rd St., Brooklyn, N .Y.

Filed June 25, 1957, Ser. No. 667,779 s claims. (ci. 21o- 144) This invention relates to balancing means for a rotatable cylinder such as is used in conventional washing or dry cleaning machines. This application is a continuation in part of my prior abandoned application Serial No. 624,279, led November 26, 1956.

As was set forth in my above mentioned prior application, a washing machine cylinder requires balancing during the centrifugal extraction period if the cylinder is to be rotated at such high speeds as to expedite drying of the clothing. In such prior application, l disclose an automatic means of causing the wet clothing to concentrate at one portion of the cylinder so that the point of imbalance would be substantially predetermined.v Accordingly, means for counterbalancing were thus simplied because only one counterbalance tank, in fixed position, was required. This counterbalance tank was disposed opposite to the predetermined site of imbalance.

According to the present invention, I apply the idea of using only one counterbalance tank in an otherwise conventional two-pocket washing machine. Two-pocket washing machines are widely used at the present time and they constitute a single cylinder divided by a longitudinal partition into two elongated semi-cylindrical pockets each provided with its own loading door. The general practice is to Weigh an equal quantity of clothing to be inserted in each pocket in the expectation that satisfactory balance will thereafter ensue. However, this system is faulty in that what appears to be equal'weights in both pockets may soon turn out to be considerably unequal. One of the reasons therefor -is that Silks, Woolens, and cottons all absorb varying amounts of water so that it is almost impossible to accurately equalize weight distribution by the above mentioned system.

As above stated, I employ rny system of utilizing a single counterbalancing tank, the tank being disposed along a selected peripheral site of one pocket of the twopocket machine. While the cylinder is stationary, prior to putting the machine in operation, I deliberately overload the other pocket by simply inserting more clothing therein. After washing, when the cylinder commences high speed rotation for the centrifugal extraction period, the initial deliberately created imbalance will produce vibration through centrifugal forces. I utilize such vibration to trigger olf corrective action such as has been disclosed in various U.S. patents to Leo M. Kahn, e.g., Patent No. 2,534,269. In this way, liquid is applied to the counterbalance tank is order to correct the imbalance. Accordingly, it will be -recognized that my system requires only the employment of a single counterbalance tank on a conventional two-pocket machine with, of course, means to introduce liquid to the counterbalance tank in accordance with either my above mentioned cao-pending application or with the above mentioned Kahn' patent. The counterbalancing tank is specifically disposed to counteract the centrifugal forces created when the clothing shifts at the onset of high speed rotation.

The invention will be further understood from the following description and drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a transverse cross-sectional view of a twopocket machine equipped so as to practice the present invention, the view being taken looking from the rear of the machine;

Figure 2 is a front View of the machine but with the external balancing elements omitted for clarity of illustration;

Figure 3 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view through the improved machine with the external balancing elements omitted for clarity of illustration; and

Figure 4 illustrates the movement of the clothing in each pocket as the cylinder commences high speed rotation.

The machine comprises a conventional shell 10 to which is secured the conventional base 11 mounted on a platform 12. For the purpose of translating mechanical vibration into electrical signals, platform 12 is provided with a pivotal support 13 on one side and spring supponts 14 on the other. Accordingly, when the structure vibrates, it will pivot slightly about pivot 13 and will correspondingly cause the springs 14 to vibrate. This will produce closing of the microswitch 15 in accordance with the degree of vibration and will thereupon actuate an electrical circuit (not shown) which will introduce Weight compensation liquid through valve 16 into pipes 17 and 18 to the feed ring 19, pipe 19a and thence to the peripheral tank 20. Tank 20 is formed on the outer wall of perforated, hollow cylinder 21. It extends the full length of semi-cylindrical pocket 22 along one corner edge thereof for reasons which will appear hereinafter. It is to be understood that such application of counterbalance liquid is not broadly new as was set forth in my prior application. The system is generally that disclosed in the above mentioned Kahn patent and other patents referred to therein.

My invention is practiced in the following manner:

First, the hinged outer door 23 of the machine is opened by unlocking latch 23a and then the hinged pocket doors 24 are likewise opened to provide access to the pockets. It will be understood that these elements are conventional as is the solid dividing partition 25 which forms the two pockets. Although, in conventional practice as was above described the operator attempts t0 load each pocket equally, he now will deliberately deposit more clothing into pocket 26 and further, he will not be required to exercise particular care in this respect. In other Words, he need merely visually or mentally determine that he is overloading pocket 26. 0f course, he can actually weigh the load so as to predetermine the amount of overweight. He can also, if he prefers, put more liquid absorbent clothing into pocket 26 with the knowledge that it will thereafter tend to become the heavier pocket. If in the event he overloads the pocket to a degree incapable of correction, the machine may incorporate a cut-oif switch to avoid potential injury to the machine as explained in the above mentioned Kahn patent.

After having loaded both pockets 22 and 26, the washing or tumbling action will be instituted through rotation of shaft 27 in bearings 2S and 28a as by pulley 29 and clutch 39. Balance at this time is of very little irnportance. Thereafter, as is conventional, the machine goes into high speed operation in order to produce the maximum extent of centrifugal liquid extraction. llt will be found that the machine will initially vibrate due to the imbalance created by the deliberate initial overloading. Such vibration will be followed by closure of the microswitch 15 as above described and liquid will then be applied to the counterbalance tank 20 until balance has been achieved. When the degree of vibration is so slight as not to cause closure of the microswitch 15, the balance may be considered satisfactory.

As diagfarrlrn'atically shown in Figure 4, the load of clothes 31 in pocket 26 exceeds the load of clothes 32 in pocket 22. Figure 4 illustrates the disposition of the respective loads when the cylinder is in its high speed rotation phase. It will'be observed that `arrow `33 indicates that lthe cylinder is moving in a clockwise direction. Accordingly, at the onset of high speed rotation, the load of clothes 31 is impelled or becomes 'disposed by inertia, in the opposite corner of the kpocket 26. It is for this reason that the counterbalance tank '29 is `formed at a corner edge of the pocket 22. In this way,

it serves to counterbalance clothing 31 by being physically opposite thereto.

Further, it will be observed that counterbalance tank 20 only extends from one side of partition 25 and its front wall is aligned with and terminates at such partition without extending into the region of pocket 26.V its arcuate extent is illustrated -to be about 45 degrees. rl`he purpose of such disposition and extent is to equalize centrifugal forces created by the load 3i which obviously is confined to one side of the partition 25 and which tends to concentrate itself in the opposite corner edge of the pocket 26 at the onset and during the duration of high speed rotation.

It may be noted that the illustrated machine lends itself to increased advantages such as by employing the cylinder 21 itself as a weighing device. For this purpose, the cylinder is rendered free wheeling by disengaging the clutch 3i). For example, clutch Sil may be a magnetic clutch which is actuated by the electrical wires 35. When disengaged, the cylinder 21 may swing freely in the bearing 2S, the cylinder being thus rendered freely swingable about its axis of cylindrical conguration. Accordingly, the operator may simply load the pockets whereupon a greater weight in pocket 26 will cause the cylinder to swing and tilt somewhat in the position illustrated in Figure l, the cylinder assuming an angular position depending upon the different weights of clothing in the respective pockets. In order to provide visual determination thereof, an indicator 36 which is xed to the shaft will disclose to the operator the tilted position of the partition 25. It will be 'understood that partition 25 will tilt pursuant to the disparity in the loads of the two pockets. If for example, there were ve pounds in each pocket, the partition 2S would be vertical. However, if pocket 26 has an excess of 2 or 3 pounds the partition 2S will tend to tilt into the position illustrated in Figure l.

As a modification, it will further be understood that indicator 36, being elongated, may be angularly off-set relative to the position of partition 25 instead of being parallel therewith. The reason for this is that the operator may be instructed to fill both pockets until the indicator 36 is vertical. However, the indicator may be so fixed to the shaft that in the vertical position of the indicator the partition 25 is actually tilted. This disposition of the indicator 36 is suggested so that the operator need not himself determine the correct position of indicator 36 except that he need only note whether or not it is vertical. Of course, after the pockets have been properly loaded and cleaning is to be commenced, the wires 35 will serve to close the magnetic clutch 3i) so that the motor, not shown, will drive the cylinder for the conventional washing and damp drying action.

It will be understood that tank 2.0 may be provided with a conventional bleeder opening 20a as described in my above mentioned patent application so that the counterforce exerted by the tank will keep pace with the changes in weight distribution as extraction proceeds.

There has been shown what are now considered preferred embodiments of the invention but it is obvious that numerous changes and omissions may be made without departing from its spirit. For example, tank 2i) may well be disposed 'within the cylinder at the corner edge illustrated. Thus, it may be formed on the cylinder inner wall surface. An advantage thereof Iis that it vallows greater space in pocket 26 to permit relative overloading. Further, it is not essential, particularly in larger capacity machines, to coniine the tank Z0 to one side 0f the partition 25 as long as the bulk thereof is so disposed so as to assure more counterbalancing force at one side of the partition.

It will also be noted that the spring support 14 is merely illustrative and may be omitted as'in rigidly mounted machines which nevertheless suiiiciently transmit vibration forces to a microswitch as mentioned in the above Kahn patent.

What is claimed is:

l. In a cleaning machine comprising a rotatable hollow cylinder divided by a solid longitudinal partition Iinto two semi-cylindrical pockets, the provision of a single counterbalancing tank formed on said cylinder, said tank being disposed adjacent to a corner edge of oneV of said pockets, means to render said cyli-nder freely swingable about its axis of cylindrical configuration whereby the cylinder will assume an angular position depending upon the diierent weights of clothing in the respective pockets so that the other of said pockets may be initially filled with a greater weight of clothing than said one pocket, means to rotate said cylinder at centrifugal extraction speeds, and means responsive to vibration caused by said greater weight to inject liquid into said tank while said cylinder is rotating, said tank terminating short of the other pocket.

2. A device according to claim l and wherein said tank extends from said corner edge along the outer surface of said cylinder to an extent of approximately 45 degrees.

3. In a cleaning machine comprising a rotatable hollow cylinder divided by a solid longitudinal partition into two semi-cylindrical pockets, the provision of a single counter balancing tank formed on said cylinder and constituting the sole such tank on said cylinder, said tank extending parallel `to the longitudinal ax-is of the cylinder, said tank having a front wall which is substantially in alignment with one edge of said partition, said tank extending arcuately from its Said front wall angularly along the surface of said cylinder for approximately 45 degrees, means to render said cylinder freely swingable about its axis of cylindrical configuration whereby the cylinder will assume an angular position depending upon the different weights of clothing in the respective pockets so that the other of said pockets may be initially filled with a greater weight of clothing than said one pocket, means to rotate said cylinder at centrifugal extraction speeds, and means responsive to vibration caused by said greater weight to inject liquid into said tank while said cylinder is rotating.

4. In a cleaning machine comprising a rotatable hollow cylinder divided by a partition into two pockets, the provision of a single counterbalancing tank formed on said cylinder and constituting the sole such tank on said cylinder, said tank being wholly on one side of said partition so as to be substantially opposite one of said pockets whereby an overweight in said one pocket may be counterbalanced by liquid injected into said tank, driving means to rotate said cylinder at centrifugal extraction speeds, and means responsive to vibration caused by said overweight to inject liquid into said tank while the cylinder is being rotated.

5. In a cleaning machine comprising a rotatable hollow cylinder divided into a plurality of clothes receiving pockets, the provision of a single counterbalance tank formed on said cylinder and constituting the sole such tank on said cylinder, said tank being substantially opposite one of said pockets and wholly disposed on one side of said cylinder whereby an overweight in said one opposite pocket may be counterbalanced by liquid injected into said tank, means to rotate said cylinder at centrifugal extraction speeds, and means responsive to vibration caused by said overweight to inject liquid into said tank while the cylinder is being rotated.

6. In a cleaning machine compn'sing a rotatable hollow cylinder divided by a solid longitudinal partition into two semi-cylindrical pockets, the provision of a single counterbalancing tank formed on said cylinder and constituting the sole such tank on said cylinder, said tank being Wholly on one side of said partition so as to be substantially opposite one of said pockets whereby an overweight in said one pocket may be counterbalanced by liquid injected into said tank, means to rotate said cylinder at centrifugal extraction speeds, and means responsive to vibration caused by said overweight to inject liquid into said tank while the cylinder is being rotated.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,461,643 Hemmeter Feb. 15, 1949 2,539,533 Douglas Jan. 30, 1951 2,549,274 Winborn Apr. 17, 1951 2,639,811 Sando et al May 26, 1953 2,717,698 Armstrong Sept. 13, 1955 

